Orienting a user interface of a controller for operating a self-propelled device

1. A system comprising: a self-propelled device, wherein the self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame; a mobile computing device including a touch-screen display and operable by a user to control the self-propelled device, wherein the mobile computing device includes a user interface provided on the touch-screen display for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device; wherein the self-propelled device is configured to signal the mobile computing device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device; wherein the mobile computing device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device; and wherein the user interface of the mobile computing device includes content comprising a virtual steering mechanism for the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism being provided in an orientation that reflects the orientation of the self-propelled device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-propelled device is substantially spherical.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-propelled device includes one or more features that identify the orientation of the self-propelled device to an observer of the self-propelled device.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more features of the self-propelled device includes a light emitting component.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the virtual steering mechanism is provided a reference that is aligned directionally with the one or more features that identify the orientation of the self-propelled device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the mobile computing device is configured to detect a movement of the mobile computing device, and to re-orient the reference of the virtual steering mechanism so that it is aligned directionally with the one or more features that identify the orientation of the self-propelled device after the mobile computing device is moved.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device is configured to detect a movement of the mobile computing device using one or more accelerometers or a magnetometer.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-propelled device is configured to signal the information repeatedly to the mobile computing device in order to enable the mobile computing device to orient the user interface during or after the self-propelled device has moved.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-propelled device includes a wireless communication port to signal the mobile computing device the information.

10. A self-propelled device comprising: a substantially spherical housing; one or more processors; one or more sensors, wherein the one or more processors determine a reference frame based on inputs from the one or more sensors; a wireless communication port; wherein the self-propelled device is configured to signal a mobile computing device that includes a touch sensitive screen, over the wireless communication port, information that indicates an orientation of the self-propelled device; and one or more features that indicate a forward-facing direction of the self-propelled device based on the determined reference frame.

11. The self-propelled device of claim 10 , wherein the signaled information includes information that identifies the forward-facing direction of the self-propelled device.

12. The self-propelled device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more features include a light-emitting component.

13. The self-propelled device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more features include a light-emitting diode.

14. The self-propelled device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more features are provided under a surface of the substantially spherical housing that coincides with the forward-facing direction.

15. A mobile computing device comprising: one or more processors; a touch-sensitive display screen; a wireless communication port; a memory that stores instructions, including instructions for controlling a self-propelled device; wherein the one or more processors operate to: generate a user interface on the touch-sensitive display screen for controlling at least a directional movement of the self-propelled device; receive information from the self-propelled device over the wireless communication port indicating an orientation of the self-propelled device; and configure the user interface on the touch-sensitive display screen to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device; wherein the user interface includes a virtual steering mechanism for controlling directional movements of the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism being provided in an orientation that reflects the orientation of the self-propelled device.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 15 , wherein the virtual steering mechanism is provided a reference that is aligned directionally with one or more features that mark the orientation of the self-propelled device.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 16 , further comprising one or more sensors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to detect a movement and an orientation of the mobile computing device using the one or more sensors, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to re-orient the reference of the virtual steering mechanism so that it is aligned directionally with the orientation of the self-propelled device after the mobile computing device is moved.